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Archive for January, 2016

With worrying statistics hitting the headlines, it’s important to understand how anxiety can affect young people – and what you can do to help.

First off, anxiety stops us from focusing properly – making it harder to learn. Research shows that when information enters the brain of an anxious person, it isn’t processed properly or stored in long-term memory.

With a scrambled brain, attempts to revise can be futile – potentially leading to even more stress as the student gets frustrated.

It’s essential, then, to confront this problem early on… What can you do?

Seven ways to de-stress:

Breathe and chill. Breathe in through your nose for four seconds, hold the breath for two, then breathe out for six seconds.

Break down any revision into chunks, and plan a timetable to stave off anxiety.

Revise in half hourly sessions with a break between.

If you’re struggling to get going, set your phone alarm to go off in five minutes and get started on something. Focus on it without letting distraction get in your way. When the timer goes off, congratulate yourself! Then set the timer for ten minutes next time… Small steps all help you go forward in the right direction… This is a great way to build your confidence too!

Be kind to you. We all have off days… And we all struggle sometimes. Instead of worrying, focus on all the good things in your life to help balance everything out in your mind.

You’re not alone. Anxiety affects all of us at some point… Talk to people, see your GP, don’t be scared to share how you feel.

Here at 121 Home Tutors covering Manchester and Cheshire, our private tutors understand how to revise… And can give your child all the kindness they need to help them through a revision block. Call us..

For many of you taking exams in the summer term after Easter, it’s essential to get your revision underway now.

Now’s the best time to perfect your revision timetable, and to address any grey areas you’ve always struggled with. Leaving this until after Easter will cause panic.

So instead, here are some practical revision suggestions to help you through the spring term:

1. Get mind mapping!

Create a mind-map for each subject, detailing all the key areas and skills you need to know. Now using three highlighter pens, identify the areas you are confident in with one colour, the areas you need to brush up on, and the areas you really struggle with.

2. Get planning!

Using this information, focus on planning out how you’ll cover those weaker areas. Don’t worry about them, get proactive instead! Can you pin down a teacher to help you with that algebra question which flummoxed you in the mock?

Can you ask if there are any revision sessions planned by departments? Can you arrange a local tutor to take you through those difficult skills your teacher doesn’t have time for?

3. Get practical!

The sales are still on. Buy some new notebooks, pens, index cards and folders to get organised. Keeping tidy revision folders will stop you from panicking. In each one you could write a tick list using your mind maps to help you stay on track.

Plot out all the difficult areas into a timetable/calendar and stick to it.

Get help!

Don’t suffer in silence. Don’t just hope the problems will go away. They won’t… Use the time you have now and over the coming months to give yourself the best chance of success.

With SATs, GCSE and A level tutors covering Manchester and Cheshire from Stockport to Wilmslow, Hale to some areas of Cheshire, that help is just a phone call or email away. Get in touch with 1-2-1 Home Tutors now…

The Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, has announced that all children leaving primary education must know their times tables inside out. Not just up to 10×10, but 12×12.

The DFE’s war on innumeracy will see year 6 children tested in new computer-style exams from next year on. This, on top of a new curriculum, will put further pressure on teachers and children alike who have yet another hoop to jump through.

Learning your times tables is an important time-saving skill, of course. Plus it’s an essential prerequisite for understanding division and algebra.

To help you master your times tables, here are some nifty ideas:

Times Tables Tips

Collect coins: Collect at least a dozen (if not two dozen) of 1p, 2p, 5p and 10p coins. Then make up your times tables…

Play cards: Remove the kings and aces, and attribute 11 to Jacks and 12 to the Queens, deal two cards at a time. Multiply the two to practise!

Get gaming: Learn by playing some of these fun, interactive games. Check out some of the fab iTunes apps out there which can help your child learn in the car on the way to school, or ten minute games here and there. Many are free like this one!

Maths Tuition to Help Your Child Achieve

Maths is a tricky subject which children often get in a muddle over. Luckily, our lovely private tutors across Manchester and Cheshire are on hand to help. Give us a call if your primary or secondary school child is struggling to get on top of their numeracy or literacy.